which are the best? or is there really no difference?

 

won't be a difference now that hotchkis will come with collars built in like the stillen's. stillen might just save u a bit of $, hotchkis are a little thicker

 

is this a new development for the hotchkis? meaning, if i buy a set that is on the market now (from ebay, etc.) i'll be getting an older, lesser version? and not feigning ignorance here (for i am truly ignorant when it comes to sway bars), what is a collar?

 

there's suppose to be a collar on the swaybar so it catches the
brackets. without this collar the bar slips left and right causing
some weird bias along with drying out the lube that's suppose to
be between the bushings and the bar.

on the stillens, they come with collars already welded on there...
how it was suppose to be in the first place.

 

Hotchkis has updated their sway bars. Like any update some resellers will have old stock while others will have the the new stuff.

Here's the thread that brought the changes to our attention.

http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthread.php?t=194808

 

Both bars are adjustable front and rear. The Stillen setup has collar's front and rear, while the latest Hotchkis setup add's collars to the front, but not the rear. The Hotchkis would be a better choice if you were wanting the setup with greater total bar strenghs. Do not take bar strength as a pass of fail thing. The ultimate purpose of the bars is to allow to dial in a already well sorted suspenision. Their are circumstances that you'd want the stiffest bars possible, few here will go that route on purpose, (you'll see it most of all in the autocrossing forum on my350z.com)

 

Hotchkis w/McMasters collars was cheaper, so that's what I went with. Stillen has built-in collars, but doesn't includ new poly bushings.

 

just get whichever u find it cheaper.

 

I know Eibachs are more expensive, but you get built in collars front and rear and new bushings. No worries. Just bolt them up and go.

 

Exactly. I figured whatever one I found used for cheaper would be the ones I got. I happened to find a set of Hotchkis units w/ collars for a great deal. Very, very happy with them. Also these units have the % stiffness for each adjustment stamped next to each adjustment hole.

 

Where do you get the McMaster's collar from? Is a collar on the rear necessary?

 

Not really. I have had my sways for a month already and yet to notice any shifting with the sways. And i do frequent canyon runs.

 

I doubt you will notice any difference. I also vote for the cheaper ones you can find.
Send Chad @ Infiniti Specialists a PM and see what he can do on a set of Stillens.